I recently watched the HBO special, Schmatta, a TV show about the New York garment trade. I enjoyed it though it did not present a pretty picture of the fashion industry. One of the disturbing statistics: In 1965, 95% of the clothing sold in the US was made here, but by 2005 that had dropped to 5%. The US has stupidly stopped producing products and we have allowed our manufacturing jobs to become part of our history rather than our future. But I do not begrudge jobs to those in India, China and Bangladesh. I know they want to make a better life for themselves and their families, just like the immigrants to the US in the early 1900s.

What is upsetting is that sweatshop techniques are still being used, similar to those used in the US in the early 1900s. Obviously the desire for profit is stronger than the lessons history provides. The documentary recounted the story of the Triangle Shirt Factory fire  in 1911 and how the young girls were locked inside the building and died because they were unable to escape the fire. The photos of the girls’ bodies lined up on the street after the fire are heartbreaking.

I was shocked to see that a similar fire happened in Bangladesh in 2007; I had not heard about this tragedy. Again, the photos of the poor young dead girls (who also had been locked inside their factory) are so sad. Girls who were working hard to make a better life for themselves and their families, and their lives were wasted so others could profit. And so we can buy clothing cheaply, at prices that cannot provide a living wage for those who make the clothes. We have become greedy, and I hate that we are passing this greed on to our kids and grandkids.

The TV show gave a lot of information about how advertising and “celebrity” designers have contributed to the desire for “fashion”. For instance, they described $700 designer jeans—I won’t name the overpaid designer—and what makes them “worth” that price. Basically they are NOT worth the money, except that clever advertising makes them desirable to some people. It’s all a big game, but there are no winners except corporate stockholders, and there are many losers, from the workers to those foolish enough to be duped into trying to keep up with “fashion.”

I felt disgusted after watching the show. I wish all kids would watch this show and understand that being “fashionable” is a sickness, not something to emulate. And by fashionable I don’t mean just clothing, but everything that goes along with the modern lifestyle. As the Christmas season approaches, the pressure to buy and acquire will only get worse.

I hope the emphasis we are seeing in the US on buying locally-produced and sustainable items, and supporting small businesses, will spill over from farmer’s markets to other areas such as clothing. I accept that we have a global economy, but we cannot just shop for price—we must ensure that what we buy is produced by workers who are treated fairly. And we must demand quality, no matter where the items are produced.

Schmatta showed how the garment worker’s union that did so much for the workers in the early days here in the US is all but gone and the union workers have no jobs.

Maybe the union should shift their attention to other countries and help workers get better conditions. Those skilled union workers from the US could train and work with companies in the other countries to build better quality into their manufacturing process—the main complaint I have about some merchandise from China.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of our country overall and there are many, many positives about being American. But they aren’t widely reported because they aren't “good TV”, meaning high ratings.

Why don’t we share the GOOD stuff? So much attention has been given to downright ridiculous people and events especially this year. Given the state of our world, I am ashamed at the global laughing-stock America has become. I honestly hope other countries ignore this stuff and don’t report it. Perhaps they have their own embarrassments to occupy their trash TV shows. Among many unbelievably stupid time-wasting people and events, the first few that come to mind: The Octomom, Balloon Boy, The Birthers, Jon and Kate. WHO CARES???

Hey, world neighbors, I promise to not watch or listen to any more news about this type of American "jackassery" and I hope you will do the same! Let's have a global boycott of ALL the so-called “reality” shows. Whose “reality” is this stuff?

Just when I thought I’d seen the dumbest thing on TV (last week’s Balloon Boy coverage—we turned it off whenever it came on), last night I saw a TV commercial that says to me we are truly sinking beneath the weight of our own stupidity in this country. I saw a short TV commercial about how to sneeze correctly. Do other countries have to teach their citizens how to sneeze by showing them TV commercials? If so, then I am embarrassed not just to be an American, but to be an Earthling.

It would be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic. Here’s what was shown: A fat guy gets on an elevator and as the doors close he sneezes a huge wet sneeze directly onto the control buttons. A mom and kid enter the elevator and the kid pushes the germy elevator button then holds his mom’s hand. A loud voices announces that they have just been exposed to germs because the fat guy didn’t sneeze correctly. As the man is about to sneeze again the kid hands him a tissue to sneeze into. They all use hand sanitizer and a message reminds us to cover our sneezes.

OK, what happened to people teaching their kids from infancy on to turn away or use a tissue or sneeze into their elbow? When did we stop teaching this to our kids? Was it about the time so many adults started using meth and having babies but not parenting them? Or spending so much time talking on their cell phones instead of watching their kids?

How about we all go back to acting like grown ups and doing the right thing, in at least this one small area?

Here’s how: As a mom or dad, as soon as your baby is born, WATCH your kid all the time*. When you see they are about to sneeze, say “cover your sneeze” and hold a tissue or something up to their face. If you didn’t catch them before the sneeze, as they sneeze say “cover your sneeze next time” and wipe their nose. Repeat 1-1 million times until they catch on and cover a sneeze. Praise them for getting it right—“great job covering that sneeze”. Even when they reach age 10 you still have to remind them when you see them winding up for a sneeze (they will say “yeah, Mom you told me a million times” but you and I know they weren’t going to cover) and continue praising. When you have grandkids, start again, even if their parents are doing it too. You can't pay too much attention to kids!

*It’s sad to have to say this, but “watching” does not just apply to the sneeze thing. It also applies to the following:

--When they are putting their grubby hands all over merchandise in stores, especially if the merchandise is expensive and/or fragile

--When they are trying to grab someone else’s stuff or push ahead in lines

--When they are climbing on sofas or tables, etc. anywhere outside your own home

--When they lean over a baby’s stroller and are about to touch the baby unless it is your baby

--Whenever you and your child are in the same postal zip code

We visited WaltDisneyWorld in Florida last week. If I had a dollar for each time I saw a parent NOT watching their kid, I could probably pay for each of our T3DS members to visit Mickey Mouse! Sad but true.